Records aren’t always good.
The Orioles proved that Friday night at Tropicana Field tying what is an obscure and dubious record.
According to Elias Sports Bureau, these 2017 Orioles have tied the 1924 Philadelphia Phillies for most consecutive games in which they’ve allowed at least five runs. The Orioles already had eclipsed the American League record.
The Orioles were at 19, with enigmatic starter Ubaldo Jimenez taking the mound against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday.
It didn’t take long for the Orioles to make it 20 in a row. Jimenez allowed four runs in the first to the Rays and then surrendered a sacrifice fly to Evan Longoria in the second inning to hand Tampa Bay that magical five spot.
Jimenez, by the way, was forced out of the game in the third – chased after allowing two home runs in the inning and nine total runs in 2 1/3 innings pitched.
The Orioles looked to be headed toward another loss – they were 6-13 and had been outscored 139-74 during the streak before Friday night.
Dylan Bundy starts Saturday and will try to keep the Orioles from having the record all to themselves.
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How does pitching coach still have a job?
He doesn't call the pitches, nor does he execute the pitches.
Nor did he pick the pitchers.
Check out my piece Saturday morning for more thoughts on this.
I don't have anything left to say about Ubaldo, but the rest of the rotation ain't setting the bar very high in the first place. Well, congrats Orioles. One more and your streak will be old enough to drink. I think we all need a couple of those....
Have the Orioles had a streak at 21 before? I can't remember. (I was drinking throughout 1988).
Watch out Dan ... the 10 year old boy/fan is showing through again!
I think it's finally time to face facts...
The team has no real starting pitching, and hasn't had it in a long time. Some timely hits and a lot of power has covered that flaw for the past few seasons... but this year, those hits haven't come. For years, there hasn't been a pitcher on the staff that strikes fear in any team. No one thinks, "Oh crap, we gotta face (____) today". That's one...
(Bullpen pitching gets a pass. Lots of injuries, and over-use because of the above)
Next, to be honest, this is not a good hitting team... and again, it hadn't been for a long time. Sure, it has a lot of power,... which, again... when it's on display, covers up that flaw. But free-swinging at bats resulting in K's instead of putting the ball in play is the norm for the majority of the lineup. That's two...
Defense: once a hallmark of the Os has really declined this year. Sure, it's hard to stay on your toes when you're already down 4-0 or more in the first... I get it. But how many routine throws to 1st has Davis (Trumbo, and now Mancini) had to dig out of the dirt? Errors are up, but again... I get it. Let's call that area even.
Finally, the pipeline: There's very little reason to be optimistic about what's down there. Not only are the Os in last place, but so is the AAA team, Norfolk. Not a good combo. Of course, it could be argued the reason Norfolk is in last is because the BWI-ORF shuttle keeps raiding the team every other day.
Added all together, I think it's time for management to decide what they really want. Keep being an almost-great team year after year for the unseeable future, or sacrifice a few years and try to be really good?
Make money, or be a contender? Yeah, I get that the reason Angelos owns the team is to make money. It's a business. Sure, you wanna win... but only if it makes good business sense. If you win, you put fans in the seats. But if you spend too much on talent, there goes the profit.
I think it's time to call a spade, a spade. The team needs a deconstruction and total rebuild. You can't draft high when you finish mid-pack. Yes I know it'll hurt in the short term, but time to use the trade deadline to get what we can for what we got. We have good individual pieces, but collectively... too many strikeouts, not enough speed, not enough hits, etc.
The team needs real baseball players. Currently, the team has very few of those. It has guys who bat for power, but very few "hitters". Guys who hit foul line to foul line. Guys who keep the line moving. Guys who don't constantly chase pitches out of the zone. Guys who can consistently execute one of the simplest & most basic batting abilities... laying down a bunt. It has lots of decent defensive players, but they have little offensive ability.
So let's see just how talented DD really is. Other teams need power hitters, so let's trade a few. And no one's off limits. If we can get a haul for Machado or Jones, etc... then go for it.
ATC. Excellent post. I think the rebuild isn't as easy or fool-proof as perhaps it is thought. But should it at least be something consider? Sure.
Angelos/DD package deal to anywhere but Baltimore.